Lake Forest Park and Lakeshore Garden Clubs
1924
In the early 1900s, when the community of Lake Forest Park was beginning to grow, a Women’s Improvement Club was actively involved with the school and the community. Within that organization, a group of fourteen women who were interested in gardening, felt the need to gather together so they could learn from one another. On July 19th, 1924, the first meeting of the Lake Forest Park Garden Club was held.
Early meetings of the Garden Club were held at members’ homes, but as the group grew in numbers they met in the Community Hall of the School. Meetings were on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Their goals were:
- To make a study of the propagation, culture and care of flowers, fruits and vegetable gardens;
- To encourage the members and residents of this community to beautify their homes, parking strips and roads with flowers and shrubs; and
- To foster a spirit of love and reverence for the beautiful in nature.
1933
In 1933, several garden clubs throughout the State gathered together to form the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs. The Lake Forest Park Garden Club was one of seven founding members of the Snoqualmie District in the State organization. The WSFGC provided access to classes in Garden Design, Horticulture and Flower Arranging.
1934–1944
In 1934 the Garden Club contributed $800 toward the building of the Lake Forest Park Community Center. It was built with WPA labor at a total cost of $2,000. After completion, the Club was able to hold meetings at the Community Center. They also provided landscaping and maintenance for the Club during these early years.
In the 1930s the Club had grown to 63 members. Dues were 50 cents in 1939 and the activities of the Club included meetings from September to April with “study group” in the morning, followed by lunch and an afternoon program with a speaker on a garden subject of interest. There was also a Winter Bazaar and summer social gatherings including a May garden tour, a June Tea and Picnics in July and August I. In 1939-1940, June Nicola, LFGC President, served as WSFGC Snoqualmie District Director. Also in 1939, the iris was designated as the official flower of the Club.
In 1941 meetings were changed to the second Tuesday of the month. They began with a study group at 10:30 followed by lunch and the regular meeting with a program of general interest after lunch. Members were required to attend seven meetings a year to retain membership and were permitted to bring one guest a year to regular meetings. Picnics at member homes were for members only. In 1943, during WWII, the Club actively promoted Victory Gardens. From 1941 on, members were requested to exhibit at least three flower arrangements a year and those arrangements were judged.
1944–1954
Dues were $2 in the ‘40s and membership had grown to 83 members in 1948. In 1950/51, the Club designed and planted a bed of shrubs and bulbs at the entrance to the Civic Club. Plant sales were held in spring and fall and the Club actively contributed to scholarships through the State Garden Club organization.
1954–1964
Club membership dropped slightly in this decade. There were 72 members in 1962 and dues were set as $3. Flower arranging continued to be a strong interest for club members. Six members became credited Flower Show Judges in the early 60s. The Club provided Garden Therapy (small dish gardens and floral arrangements) to the Firlands Sanitprium as one of ten annual projects during this time. The plant sale was also now opened to the public.
In 1964 the Club applied for a grant from the Sears & Roebuck Company through the National Garden Club. They were awarded $195 for a project to establish a tree and shrub border as a buffer between the Civic Club and the nearby railroad tracks and highway. A landscape designer was hired to assist in the design and a five year plan was created. Then in December of 1964 the Civic Club burned to the ground. All early records of the Garden Club were lost.
1964–1974
Meetings moved to the Lake Forest Park Town Center for three years while the new Civic Club was constructed. After construction of the new Civic Club, the Garden Club again provided landscaping for the Civic Club, including the tree and shrub border along the nearby Interurban Trail which had replaced the railroad tracks. Garden therapy projects were held with patients at the State Cerebral Palsy Center, the Anderson Hall Nursing Home, Firland Sanitorium and the Inglewood School for the Retarded. Book donations to the Lake Forest Park Library began in 1965 after the opening of the local library.
In 1971 the Club began holiday bazaars as a fund raiser. The proceeds from the first bazaar enabled the Club to charter a bus for a trip to Vancouver B.C. in 1973, to visit Queen Elizabeth Park, the Bloedel Conservatory and Stanley Park.* In 1972 the “Tiki” water garden at the Clubhouse was developed and “Environmental studies on basic natural resources” was featured as a project.
1974–1984
In 1974, the Club celebrated “50 Years Down Memory Lane”. The Club continued its dedication to community garden beautification with several projects, including “roadside beautification” at Lake Forest Park Elementary School and, with Boy Scout Troop #318, a new sign for the Civic Club. Meetings still began with morning study sessions followed by lunch and a speaker of interest. “Show and Tell” was added to the meetings as well. In 1980 there was a judged Flower Show and Garden Tour incorporating the homes and gardens of five members.
1984—1994
In the 1980s afternoon programs began to occasionally incorporate trips to local nurseries and greenhouses and a big annual trip to a garden or nursery continued. A bus trip in April 1985 went to the Rhododendron Species Garden in Federal Way. Flower arranging and home gardening topics continued to be included and Conservation was added as a new interest. The Plant Sale moved to the Civic Clubhouse and was held there for several years.
In 1991, dues jumped from $3 (since 1962) to $5. Membership in the State and District organizations continued and in 1993 one of our members, JoAnne Goldman, became President of the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs. In fall, 1994, meetings were no longer able to be held at the Civic Club and they were moved to the Lake Forest Park Presbyterian Church,
1995–2024
In 1995 some members of the Lake Forest Park Garden Club wished to withdraw from the Washington State and National Garden Club organizations. Other members who were more involved in the education classes and flower show opportunities through these larger organizations and who wished to continue their affiliation with them, continued meetings as a separate Garden Club. Their Club name was later changed to the Lakeshore Garden Club, WSFGC.
Lakeshore Garden Club continued monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of the month with occasional trips to nurseries and public gardens, an annual April Plant Sale, May public garden tour, a June Member Garden Tour and August picnic. Regular meetings at the Lake Forest Park Presbyterian Church include a morning speaker, brown bag lunch with coffee, tea and desserts and afternoon garden arts and craft programs. From 1997 until 2007 the Club designed, installed and maintained landscaping for the Shoreline Historical Museum at the old Ronald School until the building was returned to the Shoreline School District. The Club also provides an annual $2,000 scholarship to a student of horticulture at Edmonds College as well as donations to local gardens and other gardening education organizations.
The Lake Forest Park Garden Club has continued meetings at the Lake Forest Park Town Center, with presentations by horticulture and garden specialists. The Club, with other civic organizations, began the Secret Gardens of Lake Forest Park annual summer garden tour of private gardens in Lake Forest Park in 2003 and celebrated 20 years of tours in 2024. The proceeds from the Tour benefit community non-profit organizations and periodically the donation of new art sculptures for Lake Forest Park public spaces, such as the 5×5 steel sculpture near Ballinger Way. In addition, the LFPGC donated the Georgia Gerber sculpture, Mother with Otter Pup, in Pfingst Animal Acres Park.
Note: History for 1924–1994 is from the book by Margaret J. Mattock that was created for the 70th Anniversary of the Lake Forest Park Garden Club. Some material is quoted verbatim. Several copies of the book are in the archives of the Shoreline Historical Museum but it is not yet available in their photo files.